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mem#10171-D Ben Gay is my best friend these days
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Lady Godiva has contributed to 700 posts out of 3925 total posts
(17.83%) in 2,037 days (0.34 posts per day).
20 Most recent posts:
Some of the feedback I have gotten about Street Smarts
It is very homey and full of truth written interestingly enough to keep the reader reading. I think it will become a must read for all prospective drivers. Merrill Lynn Sheehan driver trainer
I think any driver would find something that relates to the situations they face and your stories make it intersting so it is a quick and entertaining read. I think it is very relatable so yes, it is a great way to broach the safety aspect. Fresh. Kerry Simmons Safety Director OIX Inc.
I have been a driver for 15 years and I learned things from this book! Jason Cox driver trainer
Excellent! Marge Bailey owner/founder DriverFinder.net
The only stupid question is the one you do not ask...
The link is broken in the original post...here it is again
https://www.createspace.com/3449566
The only stupid question is the one you do not ask...
Worked that time!!!! LOL
The only stupid question is the one you do not ask...
Dang, that was weird...posted a reply and it didn't come up...hmmmmmmmm! Anyways, LP, I think it went well. A couple of friends listened and said I did good and they would tell me if I had not! LOL I listened to the replay and I thought I sounded ok and knew what I was talking about. Meredith was complimentary about Street Smarts, said it was well written and full of information. So it was a good experience. Thanks for asking.
The only stupid question is the one you do not ask...
Thanks Marge!!! yes, Merideth Ochs has read the book also and wants to interview me about it on the FreeWheelin' show at 12.30 central the 29th. I am very excited and honored about it. What a treat it is going to be...hope I do not stutter! LOL
The only stupid question is the one you do not ask...
Cool! What a GREAT idea!! Sure ya'll can use my handle. Here is my bio too...
Lady Godiva is from N MO, runs midwest regional with her little dog Lillian Russel. In her spare time she likes to cook, read and do crafts. She is also a freelance writer and a published poet/author.
The only stupid question is the one you do not ask...
Most companies do not allow riders unless they are family members, spouses or significant others. Please do not accept a ride from anyone you do not know...it is dangerous.
The only stupid question is the one you do not ask...
LOL Donna! T-Bone, Tijuana Taxi, The original Dr Feel Good, Cactus Flower, GA Swamp Rat, Lil Bit...to name a few. Remember that female Yellow Freight driver with the finger nails that must of been 6 inches long? Cannot remember her name...think she was Yellows first african american female driver. Those were the days! LOL
The only stupid question is the one you do not ask...
I answered on the other thread....
The only stupid question is the one you do not ask...
Christine...There are two training companies...or they were hiring students...in AR. Check with PAM and USA Trucks. I think they both had/have programs to fund schooling and I do not think either require you to team beyond with your trainer. Worth checking into. Also, you can check with USXpress. I am not sure if they are hiring students at this time, but they are very female friendly. Roehl is hiring students, they are out of WI.
There is an excellent school in Neosho MO called Crowder College that has a trucking program...check them out. If you can get a pel grant, they may work with you on finding more funding if necessary.
Hon, I have heard pathetic stories before...they are a moot point. It is what you do with it that counts and it sounds like you have a plan to better yourself. Keep working at it and you will succeed if you want to badly enough. Let us know if we can be of help, even with a shoulder to lean on.
Sandy
The only stupid question is the one you do not ask...
Hi Christina..welcome to the WIT. You might check with retraining programs in your state, many offer training opportunities for women. Also, you might check with the department of family services to see if they offer grants for training. It is better if you can find your own funding rather than having to sign a contract with a company. Also, check with the department of education in your state to see if there are community college trucking courses offered in your state, at times, the tuition for instate residents is minimal thru them.
At any training company you go to you will be required to run with a trainer for 6-8 weeks to finish your training. After that, some training companies require you to go team with someone else for a specific period of time, some do not. That would be a question you would have to ask when you are looking for a training company.
A little more information from you would be helpful for us to be able to make the proper suggestions to assist you further. Are you still married and do you have minor children at home...can you be away from home for extended periods of time? What part of the country do you live in? Are you wanting to go over the road or work locally?
There are some tip sheets in the tips for success part of the homepage. One is Making the Decision to Become a Trucker...check it out. IF it is not there yet, let me know and I will post it here for you next weekend.
Take care.
Sandy
The only stupid question is the one you do not ask...
If you want to buy this book, when you go the the link, you will have to set up a Create Space account...it is the same form for publishing a book so is a little complicated.
The only stupid question is the one you do not ask...
If you contact me at the email addy in this release and provide me with your WIT ID number, I will send you a code for a discount on the list price of the book.
Street Smarts: A Guide to a Truck Driver’s Personal Safety
?
In trucking, truckers have always had a target on them attracting criminals of various types from robbers to hijackers to murderers; yet personal safety for truck drivers is little addressed at companies and trucking schools. It has been made easier to do now with the publication of Street Smarts, A Guide to a Truck Driver’s Personal Safety.
Sandy Long has addressed the issue of a driver’s personal safety by writing a manual that is filled with tips, suggestions and true stories illustrating why a driver should be and can be proactive in their own security. A life member of OOIDA, a member of the Women in Trucking Association and being a truck driver for many years herself, Ms Long knows that if a driver keeps himself or herself safe on a personal level, it follows that the equipment and cargo will be safe also. That is important in these days of increased equipment and cargo theft and crimes against drivers themselves.
A few of the areas covered in the book are; what criminal activity to watch for after loading, how to secure the truck while sleeping, how to be safe while walking thru neighborhoods, warehouse districts and parking lots and how to assist a driver’s family and company to find them if they become a ‘missing driver.’ There are even tips on what to look for if a driver is attacked for the driver to be able to give an accurate description of the attacker. There are many more areas covered in the manual.
Some of the stories include:
Crimes Against Women Drivers According to an Ohio sheriffs report, on a January 2006 night at a large truck stop, a woman driver was attacked and beaten by two males with a 2x4 and robbed of a couple of cubic zirconia rings. From other reports, this is not an isolated incident. We hear these stories and wonder how and why this could have happened. Shouldn't we be safe at least at truck stops that we have to frequent at all hours?...
Bad Directions? A story from News 4 Jax.com points out that not getting proper directions might have caused a driver to be shot causing him to crash the truck into a tree...
Scared the Hell Out of Me! During my almost 40 years traveling the highways and byways of this country, there have been a few times that I have been scared to death by criminal acts. Thankfully, I have not been hurt personally in any of them...yet...
Street Smarts is a must have for any new driver in the industry and a good read for the experienced driver too. It can be found at https://www.createspace.com/3449566. At $8.95 a copy, with discounts for bulk orders for trucking companies and schools, it is a good way to make sure that the truck drivers you hire or train, yourself or your trucking loved one stays as safe as possible while on the road.
Contact Ms Long at ladygodivasbookefaire@yahoo.com if you are a company or school for your discount codes for bulk orders.
Edited by Lady Godiva on May 22, 2010 at 06:32 PM
Courtesy Landline Magazine
Path breakers
By Sandy Long
OOIDA Life Member, Marceline, MO
Several years ago, I stopped to have coffee with a brother driver I had been
talking to on the CB. I told him I had noticed the 5-million-mile safe driver
sticker on his truck and said how honored I was to meet him.
His response set me back a little. He said: "I am honored to meet you. You are
one of the pathbreakers of trucking. Without women like you, who came into
trucking years ago, women wouldn't be able to be truckers today like they are."
I started driving truck in 1972 while traveling the country with carnivals.
Considering the attention I received when climbing out of an old beater truck
held together with baling wire and bubble gum at a fuel stop or cafe, we should
have sold tickets for the show. Solo women were very rare back then – even on
carnivals – and caused many to stop and stare.
A friend of mine began driving in 1973. The drivers who accepted her were forced
to strike because of their wives. The wives could not accept that a woman would
be driving with their husbands. One wife caught my friend at a plant and had to
be subdued after chasing her around the plant at a dead run.
Some companies hired women because of perceived quotas and caused anger among
some male drivers. The problem was made worse when companies would hire a woman
with no driving experience over an experienced male driver, thus fueling the
idea that women were taking men's jobs.
Some male drivers allowed anger and resentment to overrule their common sense. I
was climbing Needles in a castrated 1978 Corn Binder with a non-shiny 290 when a
Sitton driver and a CRST driver came to my rescue after another driver tried to
force me off the side of the mountain screaming, "You should be home making
babies and cookin' supper!" The two other drivers blocked my side and ran with
me the rest of the way across.
The attitude at companies was that we were too weak to do the job. At my first
OTR job in 1982, the personnel manager told me that he did not like women
truckers because "Women cannot unload 40,000 pounds of 50-pound sacks of
potatoes!"
My response was the same then as now: "You are right about the potatoes. I could
not, would not unload 40,000 pounds of potatoes and, just like a male driver, I
would hire a lumper!"
We had to prove ourselves by running hard, asking for no quarter because we were
women, and handling the stress of the job as well as our brother drivers. This
was not really hard for us, though annoying, as we gained experience. Almost
every one of us women were not wanting to be treated differently because we were
women. We just wanted to be treated equally.
We eventually overcame the resentment of others through hard work, perseverance
and just plain tenacity. We owe a lot to our male counterparts back then, too.
They were the lead seats that taught us how to drive, welcomed us to drivers'
tables in truck stops, and shared their experiences and tips with us.
They talked us through new situations and sang to us on the CB to keep us awake
through a tiring night. They saw that we were not "bra burners," just women who
wanted more than a menial job, and that we shared the sense of adventure
required to be a trucker.
Were we pathbreakers? Perhaps, but it was with the help of our brother drivers.
LL
The only stupid question is the one you do not ask...
Ahhhhhhhhh...think I will pass Sherri! LOL Tatoos wouldn't look good on my old fluffy body! LOL
The only stupid question is the one you do not ask...
Welcome Sherri...the more the merrier...a tatoo? LOL Now that is dedication! Sandy Long
The only stupid question is the one you do not ask...
I bought a large plastic tool box at walmart...it works very well. I keep my sprays and such in a crate.
The only stupid question is the one you do not ask...
Questions to Ask a Prospective Training Company
From the Women In Trucking Association Driver Advisory Committee
Company____________________________________________
Recruiter’s name______________________________________
Phone number_________________________ Date______________
The basis for this list of questions comes from OOIDA and has been adapted by the WIT Driver Advisory Committee to cover what a student should be asking of a prospective training company and can also be used by an experienced company driver.
1. Will I be: Hired employee___ Contract driver___ (A contract driver is usually paid on a percentage basis and taxes are the responsibility of the contract driver. There also must be a contract between the company and the driver. This contract is for the IRS audits and must meet their requirements. A good way to tell is to refer to form SS8).
2. What is the pay while I am with a trainer? _______
3. Does the company reimburse trucking school tuition if I have paid it myself? Yes___ No ___
4. Does the company pay tuition for trucking school and endorsements? Yes___ No___
5. If the company reimburses tuition or pays tuition, how long of a contract do I have to sign? ______months
6. If the company pays for truck driving school, do I have to pay it back? Yes___ No___ At what rate per week? _________
7. As an employee, how is my pay figured? Hourly____ Rate____ By the mile____ Rate____
8. If paid by the mile, how is mileage calculated? Hub miles____ Computer program such as PCMiler, HHG, etc.____ Dispatched miles____ Loaded miles____
9. Does the company hold back the first paycheck? Yes____ No____ If so, how long? One week____ Two weeks____
10. Does the company have Body Mass Index restrictions? Yes___ No ___
11. If I have a current DOT physical, will I have to take another from the company doctor? Yes___ No ___ If so, who pays for it? Company ___ Me ___
12. Will I be required to do a strength test to be hired? Yes___ No___ If so, what weight will I be required to lift during test? _______________________________
13. Is the driver responsible for loading and unloading? Yes____ No____ 6. If not, how is the lumper issue handled? Company contract with lumpers____ Advances for lumpers (deduct from paycheck)____ Reimbursement for lumper with receipts____
14. If driver unloads, how is payment made? Flat rate___ Hourly____ Piece____ By weight____
15. What is the company policy on fueling? Driver choice of supplier____ Company choice of supplier____ Fuel Card supplied____ Driver pays & company reimburses___
16. Does the company pay for: Layovers____ Detention time____ Canceled loads____ Multiple drops and picks____ Tolls____ Truck washes____ Trailer wash-outs____ Scale tickets____ Minor road repairs to equipment such as clearance lights, wiring, etc.____
17. Does the company run solo or team operation after training period? Solo___ Team___ How is the co-driver picked? Company assigned___ Driver chooses___
18. How many miles per week can I expect to run? ______
19. How many days/weeks will a driver be kept out? ______
20. What is the policy on home time? ______________________________________________________
21. What benefits does the company offer? Paid vacation ____ After how long ____ How much vacation time ____ Sick days____ After how long ____ How many sick days ____ Health/dental care ____Is family included? Yes___ No ____ Safety awards ____ Retirement plans/401K ____ Rider policy ____Company paid? Yes___ No ___ What are the age requirements? ____ Is it limited to family members only? Yes ____ No ____ Safety bonuses____ Based on: no violations/accidents ____; Customer Service ____; Feedback/complaints from general public____; On-time ____; SO&D ____; Idle time ____; On time ____ ; Fuel Mileage ____
22. Do you have forced dispatch? Yes____ No____
23. What regions does the company expect you to run? _______________________________________________; Does the company run in areas that you do not want go, such as Canada, Mexico, or NY? Yes____ No____
24. Does the company offer dedicated runs? Yes____ No ____; If yes, how do I get one? ______________________
25. Does driver work directly with brokers (hand-offs)? Yes____ No ____
26. What is the company policy on check calls (status for the day)? _______________________________________
27. Does the company allow pets in the truck? Yes ____ No ____ If so, are damage deposits required? Yes ____ No____; If so, how much? _____ Deposit return policy? ____________________________________________
28. Does company provide cell phones? Yes____ No ____
29. What kind of truck will I be driving? Year____ Make_____ Model_____ 22. Can driver take the truck home? Yes ____ No ____
30. What kind of transmission? _________________________________________ 24. What kind of engine? _____________________________________________
31. What kind of sleeper? _____________________________________________
32. Can I put my own chrome and lights on the truck? Yes ____ No ____
33. Are speeds governed? Yes ____ No ____ If so, governed at what speed? ____________________________
34. CB equipped? Yes ____ No ____
35. AM/FM radio/TV? Yes _____ No ____
36. Refrigerator? Yes ____ No ____
37. Qualcom? Yes ____ No ____
38. Air Ride seats? Yes ____ No _____
39. Engine Brakes? Yes ____ No ____
40. Opti-Idle? Yes ____ No ____
41. How often does company purchase new equipment? _______________________________________
42. Can I purchase my truck through the company? Yes ____ No ____ Lease/purchase plan? Yes ____ No ____ Success rate on lease/purchase? ____________________________________________________________
43. Does the company provide training? Yes ____ No ____
44. Who chooses my trainer? Company___ Me___
45. If company paid, is there a penalty if I leave the company before a specified period of time? Yes ____ No ____; If penalty, how is it calculated? ________________________________________________________________
46. What are trainer requirements? ______________________________________________________________
47. Does the trainer receive extra pay? Yes ____ No ____
48. If I choose to become a trainer, will I be able to refuse to train a potential driver? Yes ____ No ____
49. Is trainer responsible for actions of trainees? Yes ____ No ____
50. at is the length of training period? _________________________________________________________
51. Will I be assigned solo after the training period? Yes ____ No ____
52. Are female trainers provided for female trainees upon request? Yes ____ No ____
53. Is there a smoking/non-smoking policy? Yes ____ No ____
54. If I do not smoke, will I be assigned a truck that no one has smoked in before? Yes___ No___
55. Is an escrow, security deposit, performance bond, or any type of money held back by the company? Yes ____ No ____; If so, what is the required amount, and what is the return policy? ___________________________________
56. Is transportation provided to orientation? Yes ____ No ____
57. Motel/Food paid by company? Yes ____ No ____
58. Will I be required to share a room during orientation? Yes___ No---
59. Does the company pay for orientation? Yes ____ No ____
60. If I am disqualified or if I choose not to sign on, does the company pay for my transportation back home? Yes____ No ____
61. How long will I have to wait for a trainer? _____
62. If I have to wait for a trainer, am I paid during that wait? Yes___ No___
63. If I have to wait for a trainer and am sent back home to do so, does the company pay for the travel expenses back home then back to the company? Yes___ No___
64. If there are personality conflicts between myself and my trainer, am I allowed to change trainers? Yes___ No___
65. Will I have a road test prior to being hired? Yes___ No___
66. Will I have another road test after my training period? Yes___ No___
67. During orientation, do you have hazmat safety class? Yes___ No___
68. Will there be someone available 24 hours a day if I have any problems to help me resolve them? Yes___ No___
69. Do you have a driver liaison program to assist drivers who might be having problems? Yes___ No___
70. If I am required to run team after being with my trainer, how long before I can go solo? _______
71. Do you hire drivers with felonies? Yes___ No___ If yes, how long since conviction is required? _____ What type of felonies will disqualify me?______________________
This is a fairly comprehensive listing of questions and you may have more or less than are listed here. You can adapt this list for yourself if you are going to be running team with your spouse or have a co driver in place for after training. Be warned, a lot of recruiters are going to balk at answering all of these questions or may tell you that you will find out the answer in orientation…do not choose a company without having all of YOUR questions answered before traveling for orientation. We suggest talking to the company a couple of times before choosing them and asking some of the same questions twice to see if the answers match.
The only stupid question is the one you do not ask...
Here are a couple of Tips Sheets the Advisory Committee has done for WIT that will help you in making your decisions...
Questions to Ask a Prospective Truck Driving School
From the Women In Trucking Association Driver Advisory Committee
School Name and Location_________________________________________________
Person spoken to__________________________________________________
Phone # ___________________________ Date_______________________
1. How much is the tuition? _______________
2. Is there a funding source eg. grants, loans, company paid tuition?_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. How long is the course?________________
4. What is the student to instructor ratio?______________________
5. Is there life time job referral?__________________________
6. What companies hire from the school?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
7. Is room and board included? Yes___ No___
8. How much is room cost?_____________
9. What out of pocket expenses are there?___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
10. How much behind the wheel instruction is there?___________
11. How many times can a student retake the test without extra cost?____________ What is the extra charge if there is one for retesting?_______________
12. Is the school accredited? Yes____ No____
13. How much classroom instruction is there and what does it entail?__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
14. Do they teach FMCSA rules and regulations? Yes___ No____
15. Do they use loaded trailers or empty?______________
16. Do they teach any mechanical other than pretrip? Yes____ No____ If yes, what else?__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
17. Do they only train on dry van? Yes___ No____ If yes, what type of trailers?_________________________________________________________________
18. Do they teach tarping, load securement? Yes____ No_____
19. Do they require physicals and drug testing? Yes____ No____
20. Do they do background checks prior to starting school? Yes___ No___
21. How old are their trucks?______________
22. Are their trucks mechanically sound? Yes____ No_____
23. How much experience do the instructors have?___________________________________
24. What is the hiring percentage rate of the school?______________
25. Is there a refund if one washes out early? Yes___ No____
26. Is there any mountain/steep hills driving, training or instruction? Yes____ No___
27. Is there any winter/cold climate/slippery roads/use of chains, etc.
driving, training or instruction? Yes____ No____
28. How long of a trailer do they train on.?___________________
29. Is there a motel or other sleeping accommodations available? Yes___ No___
30. Will I be required to share a room? Yes___ No___
31. Do they teach Hours of Service and log book? Yes___ No___
32. Do they have simulators? Yes___ No___
33. Is there transportation to and from the school and motel? Yes___ No___
34. What tools will I need for class? atlas___ruler___pen___notebook___boots___gloves___mechanical toolkit___
35. Do I need to have my cdl permit before coming to school or will I get that after starting school? Before___ After___
The only stupid question is the one you do not ask...
There are few things that needs be for women as has been said...the actual tools are the same. A couple of things might be just for women though. Again, gloves...actual heavy duty work gloves in women's sizes, coveralls, hard hats and safety glasses in smaller sizes, work boots in women's sizes, safety shirts and vests in smaller sizes. Most of these things can be found in the net though...there are several sites that offer many work things for women.
The only stupid question is the one you do not ask...
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